1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a filter attached to a downwardly directed suction port of an in-tank pump of an automobile fuel tank for filtering gasoline pumped up from the the fuel tank and supplied into the internal combustion chamber.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various filters for the in-tank pump of an automobile fuel tank have heretofore been proposed. For example, Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. 61-51471 discloses such a filter. As shown in FIG. 5, the prior art filter comprises a flat bag-shaped filter body 10 including a mesh member and a filter frame having a plurality of longitudinal and lateral ribs, a connector body including a cylindrical attachment for attaching the filter body 10 to the suction port of a fuel tank T and an end plate joined to the outer surface of the end wall of the filter body 10, and a suction nozzle 30 attached to the end plate of the connector body so that it communicates with the cylindrical attachment and thrusts into the filter body 10.
When the prior art filter is attached to the in-tank pump P, the lower surface of the filter body 10 comes into contact with the bottom of the fuel tank T in order to enable gasoline near the fuel tank bottom to be pumped up. The front end 19 of the filter body 10 is closed like a closed bag by fusing the front end of the mesh member. The rear end portion of the filter body 10 is attached to the end plate of the connector body. The suction nozzle 30 extending forward within the filter body 10 is a pipe made of a hard plastic material and having a prescribed diameter. For this reason, the leading end of the pipe-like suction nozzle 30 cannot be displaced at a forward inside portion of the filter body 10 having a distance between the upper and lower thin surfaces thereof smaller than the diameter of the suction nozzle 30 because the leading end of the suction nozzle otherwise damages the filter body 10. Therefore, the leading end of the suction nozzle 30 has to be positioned substantially at the center portion within the filter body 10.
With the construction of the prior art filter, if the liquid level of gasoline is inclined as shown by A in FIG. 5 due to rapid turning of an automobile, the suction nozzle can still pump up the gasoline. However, when the gasoline decreases in volume and is inclined to assume its level as shown by B in FIG. 5, the gasoline can no longer be pumped up. As a result, the knocking phenomenon will arise.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of the drawbacks encountered by the prior art filter.
The main object of the present invention is to provide a filter having flexibility and enabling gasoline near the fuel tank bottom to be pumped up.